The love of a Riceball
by BombayCrossbow
Summary: The Sohmas are now getting used to having Toru around, and some are even finding love hard to avoid. Will Toru find her love in the Sohma family, if so, who will it be?! R&R please, Chapter four is up! ^_^;;
1. The Neko's New Discovery

Hey, first of all I LOVE KYO, and YUKI! And HATORI! OMG, I can't decide!! Maybe  
  
you can, review and tell me who you think is the best and that's how the ball will roll.  
  
^_^;;  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
"WAAAH!" screamed an orange haired boy from the house hidden on private  
  
property.  
  
"Shut up you stupid cat, you'll wake up miss Honda. You know she hasn't been  
  
feeling very good lately." Chimed in a handsome purple-eyed boy.  
  
"You damn . . ." the orange haired boy lowered his voice to a whisper, "damn rat,  
  
nobody asked you." Upon hearing the noise, a tall, black haired man walked into the  
  
room.  
  
"Yuki, Kyo, are you two fighting again? *Sigh* Oh well, just make sure you  
  
don't wake Toru and try not to smash the house." He grinned and went into his study.  
  
"Eh, what all the noise about?" A brown haired girl appeared in the doorway,  
  
rubbing her sleepy eyes. WHAP. Yuki flung a hand across Kyo's face. "Wah! Oh Yuki,  
  
no need to do that I was only half sleeping, yeah, that's right, and I was just about to get  
  
up and make dinner anyway! By the way what would you like for dinner, I can make you  
  
what ever you like, just name it!" babbled the sweet girl that everyone called Toru  
  
Honda. Yuki grinned devilishly at this remark.  
  
"I am terribly sorry this stupid cat woke you up. I guess leek soup sounds good!"  
  
"Hey, you damn rat, leeks are the nastiest food in the world!! Toru, please make  
  
anything but that!!" Toru blushed and giggled a little. She loved living in Shigure's  
  
house with Kyo and Yuki, but she couldn't say if they enjoyed it as much as she did,  
  
although she had lived there long enough to know that Kyo and Yuki fighting was a  
  
normal occurrence.  
  
"I'll make some miso soup, does that sound good to everyone?" Toru asked, half  
  
to Yuki and Kyo, half to Shigure who was in his study writing.  
  
"Hey, miso is ok as long as its soup." Said Kyo.  
  
"Oh, and Yuki, if you'll pull up some of those strawberries we planted I'll make some  
  
strawberry pie for dessert!"  
  
"Oh Toru, Toru, Toru! You really are too good to us. To think this precious  
  
flower should slave in a kitchen every day just so we three have decent food to eat. It  
  
truly is noble of you my dear!" Said Shigure, coming back into the room. Toru blushed as  
  
Yuki and Kyo both bonked Shigure on the head."  
  
"Have you no shame!?" they said together, then they realized that they were  
  
talking at the same time and turned away from each other and folded their arms and  
  
pouted. Toru laughed out loud, receiving confused looks from all three of them.  
  
"Well, I guess I'll start on that soup." She said as she bowed and left the room.  
  
Yuki got up to leave too.  
  
"Where do you think your going!" said Kyo.  
  
"Stupid cat, did you already forget? I'm going to get those strawberries miss  
  
Honda asked for."  
  
"Grr, Don't call me stupid you damn rat." To this Yuki didn't say anything but  
  
just walked out of the house, leaving Shigure and Kyo alone.  
  
"You know, your never going to even begin to get along if you keep fighting like  
  
that. Think about it, how happy would Toru be if you two got along better?" said Shigure  
  
wagging his finger.  
  
"I know, but I hate that damn Yuki's guts. I don't even want to get along with  
  
him! Besides, Toru seems happy enough now, you saw how she laughs when we fight!?"  
  
"True," said Shigure, "But she is the kind of person who finds the best in any  
  
person or situation. In this case it seems that she is happy and laughing only because you  
  
two are even talking to each other."  
  
"Hmf!" said Kyo propping his head on his hand as he sat down at the table with  
  
Shigure. He knew what Shigure was saying was true but he hated Yuki so much, hated  
  
the way he always bead him at everything. It was hard enough being nice to Toru, and if  
  
he had trouble being nice to the girl he loved then he couldn't stop hating Yuki!  
  
"WHAA!" Kyo jumped into the air. Had he just thought the word love!? He couldn't  
  
believe it. His subconscious was telling him he loved Toru, but he couldn't, they were  
  
just friends, if even that!!  
  
"What wrong with you now, what even caused this row between you and Yuki  
  
anyway?" Said Shigure. Kyo was still in shock from his thoughts; he couldn't love Toru,  
  
could he? He got up and stormed out of the room. "Kyo, you're going to wear a hole in  
  
my roof if you keep doing this!" shouted Shigure after him.  
  
******  
  
"Dinner is ready!" said Toru as the all sat down at the table, all except Kyo that is.  
  
"Where is that stupid cat, it's a shame to let a wonderful meal like this get cold  
  
and go to waste." Said Yuki.  
  
"I think he's still up on the roof thinking, maybe I should go get him down." Said  
  
Shigure. "I'll do it!" said Toru cheerfully.  
  
"No, no Toru, its alright, you don't have to do everything around this house, you  
  
know!" Said Shigure in his silly sad way.  
  
"Don't be silly, I want to go. I'm glad to do this for you all." She said. She arose  
  
and left to seek out the sulking cat on the roof.  
******  
  
"What the hell is wrong with me? I'm not the kind of guy who gets along with  
  
anyone! How could I love that goofy little Toru? But, I am happier when she is around,  
  
and it's easier to ignore that damn Yuki too . . .WHAAA!" A pair of big, blue, innocent  
  
eyes peeping over the edge of the rooftop interrupted Kyo's thoughts. "What's your  
  
problem, do you always have to sneak up on me like that?! You're going to give me a  
  
heart attack one of these days!" Said Kyo, sitting up quickly from his lazy position.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry if I scared you Kyo. I just . . ."  
  
"Hey, I was not scared. I'm not scared of anything!" Interrupted Kyo.  
  
"Right, I knew that." Said Toru blushing. "But I wanted to tell you that dinner is  
  
done and on the table and, well, it would be a lot more fun if you were down there."  
  
"Eh?!" said Kyo. He felt his face get very warm and he knew he was blushing.  
  
"I'm such an idiot! Snap out of it Kyo!" he thought to himself. He just couldn't bring  
  
himself to say no to Toru, so he nodded clumsily nodded and jumped off the roof, landing  
  
on his feet while Toru climbed down the ladder.  
  
"WHAA!" Screamed Toru. Her foot slipped and she fell off the ladder.  
  
"Whoa! Watch out!" yelled Kyo as he, without thinking, ran to catch her before  
  
she hit the ground. POOF. Three seconds later, there was Toru on the moist night grass,  
  
an orange cat being swallowed by a now enormous shirt and pants laying next to her.  
  
"Oh I am so sorry Kyo, I'm such a clumsy idiot and well, I guess I wasn't  
  
thinking and are you hurt at all cause I'll be happy to . . ." she babbled frantically, but  
  
was cut off.  
  
"Toru, it's all right. I'm the one with this damn curse so don't you apologizing for  
  
it." Said Kyo shaking his head.  
  
Here, I'll get your clothes and we'll go inside. I'll warm your dinner up for you  
  
too. Maybe, if we're lucky, Yuki and Shigure won't see us and say anything." She said  
  
with a sweet smile. Kyo tilted his cat head as he watched he pick up his pants and shirt.  
  
He had never seen this side of her. She was being slightly sneaky.  
  
"Uh, Toru?" Said Kyo.  
  
"Uh huh?" she said in her sweet voice as she looked down at the orange cat.  
  
"I'm, well, thanks! There I said it, now lest go inside before Shigure sends the rat  
  
out to look for you. With all his talk about all the weirdoes hiding in the woods around  
  
here the only one we've seen is him!" He said with a chuckle and started to head towards  
  
the door, Toru close behind him.  
  
They snuck in quietly on tiptoes. They could hear Shigure in the other room  
  
laughing about something, probably one of his own jokes. When they got past the dining  
  
room and at the bottom of the staircase Toru tied Kyo's pants and shirt around his neck  
  
loosely and scratched behind his ears. Without thinking, Kyo started purring! He blushed  
  
under his orange fur, but didn't say a thing. He really didn't want to explain his turning  
  
into a cat to Shigure and Yuki. He shook his head away from Toru's touch and stopped  
  
purring as fast as he could, hoping she hadn't heard it.  
  
Toru left Kyo at the foot of the stairs and went back into the dining room where  
  
Yuki and Shigure were talking, well, actually, Shigure was talking and Yuki was staring  
  
at the ceiling in a bored way.  
  
"Oh, your back. Couldn't get him off his perch, eh?" Said Shigure.  
  
"Oh, yeah." Said Toru, blushing a little at her small fib and sitting back down  
  
across from Yuki. He looked at her in that curios way he sometimes did and Toru blushed  
  
a little bit more, afraid that he might have heard her and Kyo outside.  
  
"Is everything all right miss Honda? You still look a little under the weather.  
  
Perhaps you should go to bed early, Shigure and I will do the dishes." Said Yuki.  
  
"Speak for yourself Yuki, I have a lot of work to do tonight. If you want to do the  
  
dishes your on your own tonight." Said Shigure with a slightly childish grin. Yuki shook  
  
his head, his hair whipping against his pale cheeks.  
  
"Oh, no its fine! I'll be all right, I don't mind doing the dishes, really Yuki, its  
  
fine! Leave it to me." She said determinedly.  
  
"No, miss Honda. I insist that you go to bed early this time! I promise I won't  
  
break anything. Now go get to feeling better, all right?" Said Yuki. Toru smiled at the  
  
prince. She really did feel sleepy and was glad, deep down, that she didn't have to stay up  
  
any longer. She got up from the table and bowed.  
  
"Thank you so much Yuki!" She said, and she left for her room upstairs. As she  
  
passed Kyo's room she heard a POOF.  
  
"I guess Kyo must have changed back. I sure hope he isn't mad at me. Although,  
  
he has been getting mad a lot less lately. I wonder why?' she thought as she passed his  
  
room. She put he face up close to the door.  
  
"Kyo, are you all right?" she whispered into the door. There was a thump hat  
  
sounded a lot like someone falling on the floor and a small "ow!" after.  
  
"Yeah, just leave me alone for a while!" came Kyo's voice back through the door. Toru smiled to herself and went to her room. She was glad to have met Yuki, Kyo, and Shigure, and now it was hard to imagine her life without them.  
  
"Well mom," she said as she climbed under the covers of her bed, "So ends  
  
another day in the Sohma house. I am glad I found them, even if the animal thing can be  
  
kind of embarrassing when it happens, but I love all of them. Good night mom." She said  
  
as she snuggled down under the soft sheets, listening and giggling softly to the sounds of  
  
Yuki as he dropped a dish downstairs and grumbled to himself. She loved it there. 


	2. The Nezumi's crush

OK, all you Fruits Basket fans. Here is the next chapter. Ok, so the first chapter was all  
  
about Toru and Kyo, but I'm show the opinions of every character in each chap ok?  
  
Thanks for reading. ^_^;;  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"Good morning!" Said a bright-eyed Toru Honda in her usual place in the Kitchen  
  
of Shigure Sohma's house. It was a beautiful Friday morning and Toru was making  
  
breakfast for her friends Yuki, Kyo, and Shigure. Yuki had just come down from his  
  
room and, as it usually was with him in the early mornings, he was still half asleep. Kyo  
  
was already wide awake and eating a plate of eggs.  
  
"Oh, Yuki? What do you want for breakfast?" Asked Toru. Yuki just trudged past  
  
her to the table and groaned as he sat down. Kyo gave him a dirty look as he took another  
  
bite of egg. "Yuki, are you hungry?" Said Toru.  
  
"WAKE UP YOU DAMN RAT!!" Shouted Kyo at the top of his lungs as he  
  
banged his fists on the table. Yuki's head jerked in surprise at the noise, then he reached  
  
across the table, punching Kyo in the face."  
  
"That is what is more commonly known as a crude awakening, and not many  
  
people like them you know. Why don't you make a note of that you stupid cat." Said  
  
Yuki as he rubbed his sleepy eyes and yawned.  
  
"Don't get mad Yuki. Kyo was just trying to get your attention because I need to  
  
know what you want for breakfast." Said Toru. Kyo rubbed his bruised chin and scoffed.  
  
"You should wake up before you get out of bed you damn rat." He said.  
  
"Oh, miss Honda! Were you trying to ask me something? I apologize if I made  
  
you wait. I guess I'm really not a morning person at all." Said Yuki with a smile.  
  
"That's all right, just tell me now so we won't be late." Said Toru as she smiled  
  
back.  
  
***********  
  
"Hey, Toru!" Yelled a blonde haired girl accompanied by another girl with black  
  
hair in a neat braid.  
  
"Oh, hi Uo, Hana! What's up?" Answered Toru with a friendly wave.  
  
"Your electric signals seem better today then they were yesterday. It seem you are  
  
feeling better." Said Hana.  
  
"Well that's good." Said Uo.  
  
"Why don't we do something fun together this weekend? I thought we could all  
  
get together and do something. We haven't in such a long time!" Said Toru excitedly.  
  
"Sounds good to me, just say when and where and I'm there." Said Uo.  
  
"Yes, it has been a long time. I would enjoy a little recreation this weekend." Said  
  
Hana in her usual ominous monotone.  
  
"TORU! There you are, we have been looking everywhere for you!" said a short  
  
blonde haired boy in a girl's school uniform closely followed by snowy haired boy with a  
  
serious expression were coming towards the group of friends.  
  
"Oh, hi Momiji, how are you? Hello Hatsuharu, it's good to see you too!" Said  
  
Toru with another one of her sweet smiles.  
  
"Have you seen Yuki?" Hatsuharu asked.  
  
"He was in class last period, I haven't seen him since the bell rang." The three  
  
girls and the two unknown junishi continued to talk, completely oblivious to the fact that  
  
they were being watched. "Toru, hey Toru! We have a surprise for you tonight!" Said Momiji dancing  
  
around carelessly nearly crashing into a girl, but luckily pulled back by Haru. Both Toru  
  
and Haru breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"Be careful Momiji, you almost eh . . ." Toru almost forgot that Hana and Uo  
  
were still there, so she revised what she was about to say. "You almost crashed into that  
  
girl." A little drop of sweat dropped down her forehead. "Now, what is this surprise you  
  
are so excited about?" She asked.  
  
"Yes, I don't remember a surprise either Momiji." Said Hatsuharu curiously.  
  
"Well, I think some of us are coming over for dinner, if you don't mind?" Said  
  
Momiji with a giant grin on his face.  
  
"No, not at all. I'm glad. I can't wait, and I love seeing the Somas as much as I  
  
can. Thank you Momiji, what a wonderful surprise!" Said Toru. *RINGRING* "Well,  
  
that's the bell, I guess we'd better head back to class, huh?" They all waved good-bye to Haru and Momiji as the three girls headed back to class.  
  
"Hey, you guys" Said Toru to her friends. "I 'm going to the restroom, I'll see you  
  
on class ok." She turned a corner and had to stop so abruptly she dropped all her notes on  
  
the floor.  
  
"Oh, dear miss Honda, I'm sorry, but thank you for not bumping into me. Here,  
  
let me help you pick these up." Yuki was just around the corner walking the opposite  
  
direction Toru was, and with so many people in the halls, well you know.  
  
"Thank you Yuki. Yeah, that would have been bad if I had bumped into you now,  
  
huh?" grinned Toru. Yuki looked up at her smile. It was so joyful, so innocent and  
  
peaceful. He had already come to grips with the fact that he was sweet on Toru, maybe he  
  
even loved her, but he was so shy. How could he ever tell her? Maybe it wasn't his  
  
shyness though; maybe it was fear of rejection. What if she didn't love him?  
  
"Yuki, is everything all right?" Toru's voice broke into Yuki's thoughts.  
  
"Uh?"  
  
"Cause if there is, you know you can tell me anything, right? I'm your friend  
  
Yuki, and if I can help in any way, just say the word, ok." She smiled at Yuki once again  
  
"Miss Honda, I . . .well . . .we should get to class, we're going to be late!" Said  
  
Yuki hesitantly.  
  
"I'll be there in a sec.," said Toru. She watched Yuki turn the corner, breathed a  
  
sigh of relief and ran into the girls' room. That incident with her almost bumping into  
  
Yuki had almost made her wet her pants!  
  
**********  
  
"So, miss Honda, what shall we be enjoying for dinner tonight?" Asked Yuki as  
  
the three, Toru, Kyo, and himself, walked home from school together.  
  
"Well, Momiji told me that some of the other Sohmas are coming over or dinner  
  
tonight so I thought I'd make something special. What do you think sounds good for a  
  
group meal? Kyo?" Toru looked behind her at Kyo who was scuffing his feet and looking  
  
at the ground.  
  
"I dunno, anything but leeks is fine with me I guess." He said in his usual bored  
  
way. He seemed preoccupied today, Toru noticed. Perhaps the events of last night were  
  
still on his mind.  
  
"I'd be glad to help you in whatever way I can." Said Yuki.  
  
"Yeah, then I'd be the one who would have to rebuild the house after!" mumbled  
  
Kyo under his breath. Toru heard this and giggled a little.  
  
"Welcome home you three!" Greeted Shigure when they walked in.  
  
"Yes, welcome home children, so nice to see you all again!" came another voice  
  
from inside the other room with Shigure. A voice that made the hairs on the backs of their  
  
necks stand on end.  
  
"Damn it, why'd it have to be him, of all people to come to dinner!" said Kyo.  
  
"Yes, it is me, and aren't you glad you glad to see me, especially you Yuki! Is that  
  
any way to treat your own brother?" A tall, silver-haired, green-eyed man came out of the  
  
room.  
  
"Isn't it great?" Said Shigure, following the man out of the room. "Ayume has  
  
decided to come early for dinner to get the chance to visit a little more."  
  
"Grr, I'm going up to my room." Growled Yuki and he stormed off, closely  
  
followed by Kyo, who was pulling Toru by the wrist behind him.  
  
"You don't think we're actually going to leave you down there with those two  
  
perverts, do you. Your coming with us." Said Kyo.  
  
**********  
  
"I need to go don and start on dinner." Said Toru after a while of sitting and  
  
talking to Kyo and Yuki upstairs.  
  
"I'll go with you." Said Yuki  
  
"Are you kidding, you can't cook at all. I'm going too to make sure nobody dies  
  
by your cooking." Said Kyo, receiving a nasty look from Yuki for his remark.  
  
"Thank you both. It's wonderful to have all this good help. Dinner should be  
  
ready before everyone starts arriving with you two helping." Said Toru sweetly.  
  
***********  
  
"Tsp. means teaspoon, not cup you damn rat!" Yelled Kyo as he watched Yuki  
  
trying to make the egg rolls.  
  
"Yuki, maybe you should do something a little easier. Here, you can add the  
  
spices to the rice and salt the fish, all right? I'll finish the egg rolls." Said Toru.  
  
"Kyo went to the rice maker and started making rice balls and putting them on a  
  
pan. Toru slid the Egg rolls into the oven then went to see the rice balls that Kyo was  
  
making.  
  
"Wait Kyo!" she said excitedly as she rushed to the refrigerator, pulled something  
  
small out, then rushed back to the rice balls. "Look Kyo, Its you!" she said as she put a  
  
plum in the back of one of the rice balls. Kyo couldn't hold back a smile. He blushed as  
  
he remembered the conversation he and Toru had had what seemed to be so long ago.  
  
Yuki, on the other side of the room saw them standing together and Kyo blushing. Anger  
  
swelled up in his heart, and he didn't even know why. He felt a lump in his throat.  
  
"Miss Honda, I'm done with the rice and the fish. Is there anything else you  
  
need?" he asked, trying to get her away from Kyo. Could he be jealous of Toru's  
  
friendship with Kyo, but why? He had never felt this way before. Maybe he did love  
  
Toru, but how could he ever give her a good life? Whenever he got close to any one, the  
  
rat in his perfect personality came out, and yet, Toru was the only person who didn't have  
  
a problem with that. Maybe that was why he loved her so.  
  
"Good, thanks so much Yuki!" Said Toru.  
  
**********  
  
"We're here!" Came Momiji's voice from the living room. The three working in  
  
the kitchen quickly finished what they were working on and ran upstairs to change into  
  
nicer clothes for dinner with the Sohmas.  
  
"Oh, you're here already? Is it that late already?" Shigure said to himself as a few  
  
of the members of the Sohma family came in his front door.  
  
"Where's Toru?" Asked Momiji happily, closely followed by Kisa, who dearly  
  
wished to see Toru as well.  
  
"She, Yuki, and Kyo have been working all afternoon in the kitchen. They may  
  
have gone up to change. They'll be down soon." Said Shigure. "Oh, dear. Yuki and Kyo  
  
working together in the same room. I don't think I'm brave enough to even look and see  
  
what my kitchen now looks like!"  
  
"Oh, Hatori. It's been a long time!" Said Ayume in his usual seductive voice.  
  
"Hum." Grunted Hatori. He took a seat at the table with his two high school  
  
friends.  
  
"So Hatori, when will you be buying a wedding dress from me?" Said Aya.  
  
"I hope your implying that I would wear a dress." Said Hatori in a slightly  
  
annoyed voice as he lit a cigarette.  
  
"Of . . .of course not. Hmm, on the other hand . . ." Said Ayume, rubbing his chin.  
  
"You're truly a perverted mind." Said Hatori. Shigure giggled.  
  
"Seriously though. You need a little love to warm up that frozen world you live  
  
in." Said Ayume. Hatori's eyes widened at these words.  
  
"When the snow melts, what does it become?" Kana's words floated through his  
  
head as if the events of long ago happened only yesterday. He quickly shook those sad  
  
thoughts away as he puffed a cloud of smoke into the air. More memories of that cold day  
  
came to his mind as he watched the smoke float from his mouth, then, he remembered  
  
that day he had met Toru at Sohma House. How she had fallen, how she saw his zodiac  
  
form, and how she reminded him so much of Kana. "I think spring is my favorite time of  
  
year . . ." So many memories frozen in his mind, but he pushed them away for now.  
  
"Love? A chance for love comes around once in a lifetime, if you're lucky. No,  
  
my so-called frozen world needs no warmth. It stays frozen to preserve the memories of  
  
what I once had." Hatori blew more smoke from his mouth. "So let's change the subject,  
  
shall we?"  
  
" There you are Toru, we were wondering where you were." Said Momiji. Toru,  
  
Kyo, and Yuki had just come in.  
  
"Sissy!" Said Kisa as she ran up and hugged Toru, clinging tightly to her skirt.  
  
"Hello Momiji, Kisa, and Hatori!" She said. "Kyo, Yuki, why don't you sit down  
  
while I finish up the rest of dinner."  
  
Toru then left back into the kitchen, Kisa still clinging to her skirt as she walked.  
  
"You're looking well, Yuki, Kyo." Said Hatori. The two said nothing but just sat  
  
down. There was an awkward silence. The only noise in the room for a while was  
  
Hatori's puffing of smoke into the air.  
  
Yuki was deep in thought. He couldn't stand this feeling, this feeling of love for  
  
the first time, and the fact that he couldn't tell Toru how he felt was driving him out of  
  
his mind! And then there was Kyo. He could tell Kyo had feelings for Toru as well, or  
  
maybe he was just being overly protective. Yuki turned his head and looked at Kyo. He  
  
didn't hate Kyo, but he didn't like him at all. Somewhere between hate and friendship,  
  
but he knew his feelings about Toru were true. He also knew that if anyone tried to come  
  
between them, he would have to deal with that person himself. Yuki chuckled to himself,  
  
if it was Kyo he wouldn't have any problem knocking some sense into that silly cat.  
  
"Here, it's all done. Let me go get the rest." Said Toru coming into the room with  
  
a platter of fish and putting it on the table. Kisa was holding a smaller platter of rice balls,  
  
which she set on the table too, then followed Toru back into the kitchen.  
  
"That's so cute, the way little Kisa has latched onto a friend in this world, and  
  
now she won't let it go no matter what!" Said Shigure as he watched Toru and Kisa move  
  
back and forth between the kitchen and the dining room with trays full of delicious foods  
  
that Yuki, Kyo, and Toru had worked on all afternoon.  
  
**********  
  
"Bye! Thanks for coming, it was a lot of fun!" said Toru as she waved goodbye to  
  
Momiji, Kisa and Hatori as they went out to the car. (Hatori did the driving, lol!) She  
  
loved getting to know the Sohma family better, although she still had a lot of work to do.  
  
"Here, miss Honda, let me help you with that!" Said Yuki when he came into the  
  
kitchen and saw Toru doing the dishes.  
  
"Thank you Yuki, Can you dry please?" She asked.  
  
"Of course." There was a silence as the two stood next to each other, and then  
  
Yuki finally plucked up enough courage to speak. "Er, Miss Honda?"  
  
"Yeah Yuki?"  
  
"You remember when you sold me that I could tell you anything?"  
  
"Oh, Yeah!" Squeaked Toru. "He's about to tell me something important. Finally,  
  
it's my chance to get Yuki to open up to me!" She thought to herself as Yuki spoke.  
  
"I've been thinking about you a lot Toru. Your moving into this house with us has really changed everyone a lot, but I think you had the biggest impact on me. With you I  
  
can open up and be myself, the self that I'm not when I'm around others at school.  
  
Maybe it's because you know our secret, but I believe it's more than that." Said Yuki  
  
"Eh, well I don't think I've done that much, I mean all I do is cook and clean,  
  
occasionally help in the secret base, you know, I haven't done nearly as much as your  
  
saying Yuki!" Toru started to babble quickly; in that way she did when she was nervous  
  
or flattered. Yuki smiled, he really did love Tour. He loved even her senseless babbling  
  
and self-put downs; it was his job to build her up.  
  
"You have done that much, Toru, and much more. All I wanted to say, I guess  
  
was . . . thank you . . .thank you for always being there for me, for all of us." Said Yuki.  
  
By this time they had finished with the dishes.  
  
"Your welcome!" Said Toru smiling. Yuki could tell she was close to tears. He  
  
dearly wished with all his heart to hug her, to hold her close to him and tell her what he  
  
really felt, but that was impossible. "I'm going upstairs to finish a paper, ok? Thank you  
  
for telling me this. It's wonderful that we are good enough friends that you can open up  
  
to me. I promise you'll be the first on I come to if I ever need anything or someone to talk  
  
to." Toru patted Yuki on the back and went up the stairs to her room.  
  
"Wait Toru," Yuki whispered when she had left the room. "I forgot to tell you one  
  
thing! I love you!" 


	3. Pressed Flowers and Frozen Memories

I assume you've already read the first two chaps so I'll just say right now that this fic is totally changeable. I LOVE HATORI so I think there will be a lot of him in the later chaps of this fic. R&R please, I need ideas!!  
  
************************************************************************  
  
It was a cold day at Sohma house. The wind blew through the trees softly, as if speaking sweet words of love to the forlorn inhabitants of the inner circle of small homes belonging to the Sohmas.  
  
Hatori put down his pen and rubbed his temples. It was just another normal, boring day of work for him, that's how most days were. Hatori got up and stretched, his hands almost reaching the low ceiling and sighed. He looked out the window at the blowing grass and the gray sky that might even be threatening snow. To Hatori, snow was indeed a threat, a threat of bringing back old memories, opening old wounds that had not yet fully healed. It had been a week since they had visited Shigure's house and had dinner.  
  
"Hatori?" Came a voice from outside the door.  
  
"What is it Momiji?" Asked the serious doctor as he sat back down in his chair and began to write again.  
  
"I just got a call from the main house, Akito needs you." Said Momiji, strangely serious and quiet.  
  
"I'll be there presently." Answered Hatori. He wondered hat Akito needed now. Perhaps he was sick again, perhaps he needed yet another memory erased. What ever it was, Hatori had to go along with it.  
  
"Hatori, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you!" Kana's voice burst into Hatori's mind as he walked towards the main house. That was the most painful memory of all. Hatori had to be good at hiding his emotions, to keep up a professional appearance so he gritted his teeth and tried to think about something else. Even though he never showed it on the outside, Hatori did blame Akito for driving Kana away from him. He blamed him for blinding him in his left eye, blamed him for scaring his love away, blamed him for bringing back the frozen snow and ice into what was once, if only for a little while, a world full of spring and joy. But Hatori was a doctor, and he was a Sohma. Thus he was obligated to take care of anyone, no matter what the relationship, if they were sick, and even though he never forgave Akito, he never showed it, and never would.  
  
Hatori reached the main house and knocked on the door. The door was cold and sent a static shock through his knuckles.  
  
"Enter." Said a voice from inside. Hatori slid open the door and quickly closed it, so as not to let the cold air into the frail boy's room. There was a warm fire burning in the fireplace and the room smelt of herbs and fresh tea.  
  
"What did you need Akito?" Asked the doctor as he removed his coat and hung it up. A pale, sickly looking boy sat on a black sofa in the corner of the room, his skin looked almost white against the black leather of the couch.  
  
"Only a word with you." he said quietly, not even once looking at the one to whom he spoke, but looking out the window aimlessly. He took a rattling breath and coughed. Hatori winced at the sound of it.  
  
"I heard you visited Shigure's house recently. How is everyone? Are Yuki and Kyo getting along as good as ever?" he said with a small, forced laugh, then he immediately broke back into a cough.  
  
"Here, let me give you something for that cough." Said Hatori mercifully as he dug into his doctor's bag for a phial of couch syrup.  
  
"These winter days seem to pass so slowly, don't they?" said Akito, pulling his legs up to is chest and resting his chin on his knees. Hatori said nothing and kept looking for the medicine. He knew Akito was only trying to get to him, as he usually did to everyone. He guessed it made him feel powerful. "Winter, full of it's unexpected frosts and storms, then it all melts away to reveal a beautiful, vibrant spring, full of color and new life. What do you think Hatori?" said Akito, finally turning to look Hatori in the eye.  
  
"I think you should take your medicine Akito, before this winter air keeps you from seeing another spring." Said Hatori as he poured a small portion of medicine into a cup and handed it to Akito.  
  
"Hatori, your as cold as the frozen winter itself." Said Akito as he drank the pink liquid. Hatori once again remained silent. He was used to this kind of behavior from Akito.  
  
"Is there anything else you need?" asked Hatori. Akito frowned a little at seeing that Hatori wasn't moved by his little speech.  
  
"No, you may go." Said Akito as he turned his head to look out the window once again. Hatori put his coat back on and left Akito to his thoughts.  
  
"Why" Hatori thought. "Why do I even bother? Do I stay here just because I'm a Sohma, or for Akito, or is something else holding me back?" He had often thought of laving, but his obligation to Akito had always kept him, he could have moved in with Shigure or found a house of his own, but no. He remained at Sohma house taking care of a sick, weakling of a head of the family. Hatori went back into his study where he had been working before. All this work seemed menial and far too often he found himself thinking this. He needed some variety in his life. This was the first time he had ever wanted to do something about it though.  
  
"Momiji?" Hatori said a little louder than his usual tone. It was quiet at the Sohma estate that morning so he was sure Momiji could hear him.  
  
"Did you call Hari?" Asked Momiji as he appeared in the doorway once again.  
  
"If you could do anything right now, what would you want to do?" Asked the doctor as he leaned back in hi seat and put his arms behind his head.  
  
"Anything?" Thought Momiji out loud. "I'd go visit Toru!" Said Momiji cheerfully as he held up his pointer finger. Hatori smiled contentedly.  
  
"Get your shoes on, we're going to visit Toru."  
  
"YAY!" said Momiji as he jumped up in the air. "Hari sure isn't being dull today!" he thought as he threw is shoes on and a coat and clambered into Hatori's car.  
  
As the two pulled out of the gate of the Sohma house, Akito watched them leave from his window. He grinned devilishly thinking that he had gotten to Hatori a little bi, enough to make him need to leave and think, and he knew he'd go to Shigure's house. That's what he wanted. He took advantage of every opportunity for his family members to get closer to Toru.  
  
"Enjoy your little outing Hatori." Said Akito as he watched the car disappeared over the hill.  
  
**********  
  
"Got any sevens?" Asked Yuki to Kyo. Because that morning was particularly cold, Toru had suggested that the four of them play a game of cards in the living room, being the warmest room in the house.  
  
"Damn it! I swear he can see my cards! Quit being so cheap!" Shouted Kyo, slamming his fists on the table.  
  
"Well, of course we can all see your cards id you keep slamming your fists on the table like that you stupid cat." Said Yuki calmly. "Now hand over your sevens." Kyo growled and threw two cards over to Yuki.  
  
"Um, Yuki, do you have any queens?" Asked Toru. Yuki smiled at this. He did have a queen, and her name was Toru Honda. She was everything he wanted in a queen of his own, but he knew that he didn't have the courage to tell her his feelings any time soon. He sighed and looked at his hand of cards.  
  
"No, go fish." He said sadly. Suddenly, there came a knock at the door at the front of the house.  
  
"Hold on, I'll get it!" Said Toru happily as she arose and ran to answer the door. When she opened it, she saw Hatori towering over her, a shivering Momiji behind him.  
  
"Waa! Quickly, come in before you freeze to death out here!" Said Toru pulling the two into the house. "We were just playing a game in the living room if you want to join."  
  
"Ooooh! A game, what game? I love games." Said Momiji excitedly. He ran past Hatori into the living room where Kyo and Yuki were having another spat about cheating.  
  
"To what do we owe the pleasure, Hatori?" Asked Toru as she took Hatori's coat and hung it up.  
  
"I don't know. It was really very spontaneous of me, wasn't it? I guess I was just feeling a little restless at Sohma house today. You don't mind, do you?" He answered.  
  
"Oh, no! Not at all. Please come in and make yourself comfortable. I'll make some tea for everyone." Said Toru sweetly. Hatori smiled as he watched the busy little girl run into the kitchen to start the tea. She was so selfless, giving her precious time to help the ones she cared about.  
  
"Hari, It's good to see you! What brings you and Momiji here today?" Asked Shigure when Hatori came into the living room.  
  
"Hari just asked me what I wanted to do more than anything in the world, and when I said I wanted to visit Toru he just nodded and told me to get ready to go! Isn't that funny?" Said Momiji. Kyo and Yuki were just sitting quietly, not speaking, and not really listening.  
  
"Here, I brought some tea for everyone." Said Toru coming into the room carrying a tray.  
  
"Toru, Toru, Toru! You really are too good to us." Said Shigure, wiping an invisible tear from his eye.  
  
"Thank you very much Toru." Said Hatori, and he smiled at Toru. Toru froze. This was the first time she had ever seen Hatori smile, and he was extremely handsome. She was just standing there, holding the tray of tea and staring into Hatori's entrancing smile, not even thinking about what the others in the room might think about it.  
  
"Uh, are you going to pour the tea for everyone, or just Hatori?" Asked Kyo; a little annoyed at the way Hatori was smiling at Toru.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, yes." Toru shook herself out of the pull of Hatori's eyes and poured the tea for everyone else. She had never seen Hatori look so happy. He had always been so serious whenever they had spoke before. She sat back down and poured herself a cup, still thinking about Hatori's smile.  
  
"Are we still playing?" Asked Kyo, holding up his hand of cards.  
  
"It seems kind of pointless to continue this game when we'd be leaving Hatori and Momiji out doesn't it." Said Yuki  
  
"You're just saying that because I was winning." Said Kyo.  
  
"You were cheating!"  
  
"Was not you damn rat!"  
  
"I'm not going to stoop to your level and fight today, stupid cat." Said Yuki calmly, and he took all the cards and reshuffled them. Kyo almost lashed out and punched Yuki, but with Hatori and Momiji there, and Toru, He just took a deep breath and thought how fun it would be to get Yuki back for this later.  
  
********** "Hatori, are you sure you have never played this game before?" Asked Shigure. Hatori had played three games of go fish with them and won every one.  
  
"I'll never tell." He said with a hint of mischief in his voice.  
  
"I've never seen Hatori like this. He seems so much more relaxed now then when I saw him at school and at Sohma house, and even at the Sohma forest cabin, when we all went together, he seemed to be tired from a lot of stress. Now, when I see him playing a game, even smiling a little, it makes me so happy!" Thought Toru to herself.  
  
"Why're you even here, and don't tell me it was just a damn spur-of- the-moment thing, cause I'm not buying' it!" yelled Kyo after Hatori had announce yet another victory. Hatori thought for a moment. He didn't really know why he was there. He had just been quite uneasy after his visit with Akito and needed a place to, well, space out.  
  
"Momiji wanted to come, and I wasn't particularly busy at the time." Said Hatori.  
  
"Hell yeah, I believe that! Because you've always been a really spontaneous kind of guy, huh?" Kyo said.  
  
"Never mind Kyo. If you don't want to be here then you can leave. Hatori isn't here nearly as much as you are, and he's slightly less annoying and much less loud." Said Yuki.  
  
While Yuki and Kyo were fighting, Toru got up and said she was going to make some more tea for everyone and Hatori arose to help her. The others didn't notice, they were too busy watching Kyo and Yuki fight.  
  
"I hope my being here isn't any trouble. I should have known that Yuki and Kyo would fight about something sooner or later. I apologize." Said Hatori to Toru when they had reached the kitchen.  
  
"Oh, no. Kyo and Yuki have been fighting less and less lately. I guess the surprise of you visit brought out the worst in them. I'm the one who should apologize. And you don't have to worry about coming over, come any time." Said Toru. She hummed a little song cheerfully as she started to boil another kettle of water.  
  
"She's so cheerful, so optimistic about all aspect in her life!" Thought Hatori as he leaned against the kitchen wall and watched Toru work. Toru started to take the clean dishes out of the sink and put them away. She had piled up at least seven plates in one hand and the other hand was occupied with several cups and spoons. She wobbled and squawked as she bean to fall.  
  
"Miss Toru!" said Hatori as he rushed to catch her. POOF, CRASH CRASH! The plates and cups hit the floor and broke with a resounding clatter, and Hatori had become a seahorse, flopping on the ground amidst the pieces of broken dinnerware.  
  
"Water, no saltwater! Oh, here we go again! I don't know which one! Hatori tell me!" Screamed Toru as she picked up the struggling seahorse.  
  
"Miss Honda, what happened, are you all right!" Said Yuki as he ran into the kitchen only to find Toru spazzing out with a transformed Hatori in her hands.  
  
"What do I do? He was trying to stop me from falling and now he's transformed and he can' breathe!" she said, frightened. But then, Hatori had survived their last encounter like this at Sohma house. Maybe he wasn't the average Seahorse. What was Toru thinking; of course he wasn't the average seahorse!  
  
"Calm down Toru! Hari will be all right, he doesn't need to be in the water to survive, it's all right!" Said Shigure, coming into the kitchen and seeing a very traumatized Toru holding a seahorse.  
  
"Here miss Honda, we'll clean up the pieces, you take Hatori upstairs." Said Yuki, getting on his knees on the floor and starting to pick up all the broken plate and cup pieces. Luckily not all of them broke. Toru nodded and ran up the stairs as fast as she could, hoping to get there before Hatori transformed back.  
  
"I'm sorry to have startled you Toru." Said Hatori. "I guess coming here today was a mistake on my part."  
  
"Oh, no. Don't think that! I just hope you're not hurt." Said Toru, looking around for a room to put Hatori in. She decided on her room, so as not to impose on anyone else's personal space.  
  
"Here Hatori. I'll put your clothes right here and when you change back just come back downstairs and . . . POOF! Hatori had transformed right as Toru had put the seahorse on her bed. The girl screamed and turned away as fast as she could, blushing intensely.  
  
"Um, Toru, could you throw me my clothes?" asked a now naked Hatori, but to his surprise, he wasn't embarrassed. He felt comfortable around Toru, although he couldn't say the same for her.  
  
"Um, yeah sure, er, Hatori." Said Toru nervously getting Hatori's clothes and throwing them over her shoulder to the naked junishi in her bed. Hatori quickly pulled on his pants, and then spoke.  
  
"I apologize once again miss Toru. I never meant for any of this to happen. I guess Momiji and I will be leaving now." Hatori said. Toru turned to look at Hatori. She saw he still hadn't put his shirt on and blushed, but didn't turn around again. Hatori smiled at her again, a true, loving smile.  
  
"You really need to stop beating yourself up about this, and I want you to remember this always, having you over to visit is never a bother, it's a great pleasure." Said Toru, gazing into Hatori's eyes, and then shaking her head. "I mean, you and Momiji, of course." She said, after a brief pause.  
  
"I know what you mean." Hatori said, a smile on his face that would have melted the polar ice caps, or at least, his frozen memories.  
  
"Hatori?" said Toru.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I don't mean to pry, but I've always wanted to ask you this since I met you at Sohma house."  
  
"Ask me anything, I'll answer truthfully." Said Hatori, sitting down on the bed, still shirtless. Toru sat on the floor, took a deep breath, and tried hard not to stare at Hatori's extremely handsome arms and chest.  
  
"Why do you still live in without love?" She asked. "I understand your wanting to keep what you and Kana had safe. Those memories are precious and unforgettable, but it's been so long. Stop me if it's none of my business, but love is something that no one should have to live without." Toru said. Hatori's eyes widened and he caught Toru's gaze.  
  
"I, I think that to have been born a member of the zodiac and to even have had a love like the one Kana gave to me is enough, but, then again," Said Hatori as he gazed more intensely at Toru, "I could be wrong." "Uh," said Toru nervously, but was still unable to tear her eyes away from Hatori's entrancing gaze. "Everyone needs love, and I admit that the members of the zodiac aren't everyone, but you are people with human emotions. You need love just as much as anyone else."  
  
"Wise words." Said Hatori, half to Toru, half to himself. "And you, Toru. Do you have a love in your life?" Asked Hatori, new thoughts coming into his mind that e had never thought before, as he sat there, looking at this young woman.  
  
"Well, I do love every one of the Sohma family as if you were my own family. Until I find real love, you know, the kind you read about in fairy tails, then that's enough love for me." Said Toru with a sweet smile.  
  
"Do you think you could fall in love with one of the Sohmas?" Hatori asked, curiously, hoping Toru was catching the hints he was dropping.  
  
"I don't know, I'm too young to be thinking about that stuff right now. Here." Said Toru, throwing Hatori's shirt to him. "They'll probably be wondering where we are downstairs."  
  
"Hmm, I'll be right down. Thank you for this talk, Toru." Said Hatori, with another one of his rare but radiant smiles.  
  
********** A few hours later, Hatori and Momiji were leaving Shigure's house. Toru stood at the front porch, waving good-bye. She thought about what Hatori had said to her up in her room. Maybe he was just trying to offer good help, like the doctoral side of him did, then maybe; maybe he was dropping hints that he had feeling for her. Toru went back inside to find Kyo parked in front of the televisions and Yuki making origami zodiac characters at the table. Shigure was in his study doing who knows what, so Toru went back up into her room, but when she got there, there was a paper on her bed. She curiously opened it, and inside was a pressed assortment of spring flowers, preserved as memories of what spring once was, and a premonition of what spring would become soon. 


	4. Cookies and Confessions

Hey everyone! Thanks so much for the awesome reviews. You're making me so happy! (Toru moment, heh heh.) Keep sending me ideas; you have some really good ones. So, what do you think; will someone confess their love in this chap? You'll have to read and find out! HEE HEE ^_^;;  
  
************************************************************************  
  
It was a rainy yet peaceful Sunday morning at Shigure's house that day. The raindrops made soft patting sounds as they hit, the gray sky a soothing change from the harsh sun that usually shined, the cool wind blowing the water in standing puddles.  
  
Toru was in the kitchen that morning, by herself, making some cookies. Today was the one-year anniversary of her first meeting with the Sohma family. She smiled as she pulled out the pan from the oven. She had grown to love them all so much since then, and the growing of her love would never stop.  
  
"I wonder if any of the others know that this is the one year anniversary of our meeting?" she thought as she winced at the pain of the hot pan touching her finger. She had planned on bringing a batch of cookies to the main Sohma house for Hatori, Momiji, and Kisa, and Akito.  
  
"Hmm, Akito. I haven't seen him since we bumped into each other at school that one day. I wonder if he's all right. Well, I guess with Hatori there I don't have anything to worry about." She thought. She put the cookies out on a plate to cool.  
  
"Mmmm, Toru! What is that glorious smell?" Came Shigure's voice from his study in the next room. The tall man came into the kitchen with a big grin on his face.  
  
"Oh, I made some cookies for everyone. Today is the one-year anniversary of my meeting the Sohma family and I wanted to do something special." Said Toru  
  
"Those are the most delicious smelling cookies I've ever . . ." Said Shigure as he gazed at the pile of cooling cookies on the table. "Would it be all right if I had one?" A childish grin spread across his face.  
  
"Of course, they are for you. Well you and everyone else in the Sohma family. I guess you could call it a thank you for all of the kindness you've shown me." Said Toru as she watched Shigure take a cookie and eat it in one bite.  
  
"Mmmmm, this is, by far, the best cookie I've ever tasted!" Said Shigure. "So, today is the one-year anniversary of the day we met you. It's like it was just yesterday you came up to our porch to look at those little zodiac animals I had painted." Shigure sat down at the table and began to tell the story out loud to himself as Toru started another batch of cookies and slid them into the oven, then sat down with Shigure at the table.  
  
"Yes, I remember that. That was when I was still living in that tent." Said Toru with a laugh. "You and Yuki really took me under your wing and trusted me when I found out about your secret. I'm still so very grateful that you still trust me with it."  
  
"Miss Honda, what is that wonderful smell?" said Yuki as he came into the kitchen.  
  
"Coofees! Ant un?" said Shigure; his mouth was full of cookie. He held the plate of cookies up to Yuki.  
  
"What's the occasion?" Asked Yuki as he sat down next to Toru.  
  
"Today is the one-year anniversary of the day I met you and Shigure and Kyo. I just wanted to do something special. I was going to take some of these cookies over to Sohma house too for Hatori, Kisa, Momiji, and Akito, but it's raining today." Said Toru.  
  
Yuki winced slightly at the name of Akito, then smiled at Toru. She always had the sweetest, most selfless ideas. Yuki took a cookie and ate it slowly in small bites.  
  
"Miss Honda, this is some of your best cooking. I think, if it stops raining, I'll walk you over to Sohma house to deliver those cookies." Said Yuki sweetly as he brushed his hands off on a napkin.  
  
"Thank you Yuki. It'll be nice to have company on the way." Said Toru. The timer rang and Toru ran from the table to pull out the fresh pan of cookies. The warm, sweet smell wafted through the house and filled their noses with the smell of Toru's love.  
  
Yuki didn't particularly want to go to Sohma house. Seeing Akito, bringing back old memories of painful days made him feel weak at the knees, but he was doing this for Toru. He found that he would do anything for that girl.  
  
Yuki looked over at Shigure who was still munching on a cookie, his sixth. Yuki rolled his eyes, and they fell on Kyo, who was standing in the doorway.  
  
"What's going on? What's that smell?" asked Kyo. Shigure quickly spoke up, his mouth still full of cookie.  
  
"Oru ade coofies or uh un ear anifthary. Ant thome?" he said, a bright-eyed puppy look on his face, crumbs on his face. Kyo gave him a disgusted look, and turned to Yuki for an understandable explanation.  
  
"Miss Honda made cookies for the one year anniversary of her meeting us." Said Yuki.  
  
"One year huh? Has it really been that long?" thought Kyo out loud. He peeped his head in the doorway of the kitchen to see how Toru was doing. She was busily scooping out dough and putting it into neat little balls on a pan.  
  
"Why do I care for her so much? Is it because she's such a nice person, or is it that I truly do love her? What the hell am I thinking? I can't love anyone, I'm just not that kind of person." Thought Kyo as he watched her work. Then the words of Shigure came from long ago, almost a year ago to that day, came into his head.  
  
"One day your going to find someone who truly wants to be your friend, that's when that you'll find what it's like to be loved."  
  
"That damn Shigure is a total nutcase, but he does say some wise things when he want s to." Thought Kyo. Toru had finished putting the next pan of cookies in the oven and was now coming out of the kitchen.  
  
"Aww hell! Gotta hide." Thought Kyo "Wait, why do I gotta hide. I'm such an idiot!" Kyo just stood there, trying to look natural.  
  
"Hi Kyo, want a cookie? I made them for everyone." Said Toru as she came out, the red cloth at the top of the door brushing her beautiful brown hair. Kyo blushed, then nodded clumsily.  
  
"Yeah, I'll be there in a second." He said. He did love Toru, He couldn't make himself ignore it any more, but how the hell was he going to tell her. He couldn't even apologize to her without tripping over his words. How was he going to tell her he loved her, what's worse, he knew Yuki had feelings for her too. What if he beat him to it, what if Toru would rather have Yuki's love instead of his!" Kyos mind rushed as his heart pounded in his chest.  
  
**********  
  
The rain had stopped later that afternoon and, as he promised, Yuki and Toru were walking down the gravel path towards the inner walls of the Sohma property, where the zodiac members dwelled. Yuki was slightly uneasy. Just as long as he didn't have to see Akito for that long he would be fine, and having Toru there made him feel a little better. The sweet smelling, cool, after-rain breeze blew their hair as they walked, pushing them foreword, and bringing the smell of those delicious cookies out of the paper bag that Toru was holding.  
  
When they reached the large gate Yuki opened it for Toru and they both walked in cautiously, hoping that they wouldn't get into trouble for coming uninvited. Yuki led Toru to Hatori's house. It was slightly friendlier looking than the last time Toru had been there. The last time she had come she was afraid out of her mind that she would have to loose her memories, but now, now that she knew more about Hatori and his life she could look at him and feel not fear, but mercy and maybe even love.  
  
Yuki knocked on the door and they waited. The door was opened a few second later by Hatori. When he saw Toru a small smile forced itself onto his face, but only a small one.  
  
"Hello Miss Toru, and Yuki. Please come in." He said as he opened the door wider to let them in.  
  
"Thank you Hatori, we brought cookies for everyone." Said Toru.  
  
"Now why would you do that?" Asked Hatori sweetly.  
  
"Today is the one-year anniversary of the day the Sohmas came into my life and I just wanted to say thank you to all of you for welcoming me into you midst." Said Toru with a small bow.  
  
"Thank you very much." Said Hatori.  
  
"Do you know where Momiji and Kisa and Hatsuharu are? We need to give them theirs too, and Akito." Said Toru. At this, Hatori and Yuki's expressions got very serious.  
  
They were both very unsure about the prospect of Toru with Akito. To be frank, they just didn't trust him around her, but they both also knew that kindness had to be showed to everyone, even Akito.  
  
"Momiji is somewhere around here, but Hatsuharu and Kisa are in the house next door, Hatsuharu's house. Akito is where he always is, the main house. Yuki knows where it is." Said Hatori, and air of sadness in his voice.  
  
"Is something wrong?" Asked Toru.  
  
"The one year anniversary of your meeting our family isn't the only anniversary that falls on this day. Lets just leave it at that, shall we." Said Hatori, a wavering breath following his sentence. Toru understood and felt a rush of sadness run through her too.  
  
She just wanted to give Hatori a big, comforting hug, but knew better. That was the worst part about living with the Sohmas. It they ever needed comforting, she had to settle for words. She dearly wished with all her heart to be able to hug her friends, just once.  
  
"Thank you." said Toru softly. She and Yuki walked out the door.  
  
"We'll see you later Hatori." Said Yuki. Toru was trying too hard not to cry to look back at Hatori or even say anything. Hatori watched them go, holding his bag of fresh cookies. He took one out and ate it. He smiled, a tear rolling down from his blind eye. He loved Toru, just as he loved Kana. But Kana had left, left exactly seven years ago, but he knew that Toru Honda was here to stay.  
  
**********  
  
"Here we are. It's the last stop." Said Yuki as the two of them looked on at the house that stood before them. It was the main house, where Akito dwelled.  
  
"Come on, before the cookies get cold!" Said Toru with a smile as she grabbed Yuki by he wrist and pulled him up to the door and knocked. The knock echoed through the hollow halls inside the building, then a servant came to the door.  
  
"May I help you?" said the servant, and then she saw Yuki. "Oh, master Yuki. Do you wish to see Lord Akito?" Yuki nodded. The servant woman opened the door and led them through the house to a large room in the middle of the house. She knocked at the door.  
  
"Who's there?" Came Akito's voice from inside.  
  
"Visitors Lord Akito. It's master Yuki and another." Said the woman  
  
"Let them in!" Came the voice, a little less annoyed at the disturbance when Yuki's name was mentioned. The woman opened the door for Toru and Yuki then, and left them alone with Akito.  
  
"Yuki, and Miss Honda! What a pleasant surprise." He said in his usual cryptic voice. It made Yuki feel even more uncomfortable, and even more protective of Toru then he was already.  
  
"We brought some cookies for you. I know it might seem a little silly, coming all the way here just to give you some cookies, but I really wanted to thank you for all you've done for me." Said Toru, offering the paper bag to Akito. Akito smirked as he glances at Yuki out of the corner of his eye. Yuki was staring at Akito, watching his every move as he walked towards Toru to receive the bag.  
  
"Miss Toru Honda. You are very thoughtful. I thank you." Said Akito, his pale hand reaching out for the bag, and touching Toru's hand as he took it. Toru blushed as Akito took her hand. Yuki, standing by the door they came in through, clenched his fists.  
  
Akito lightly kissed Toru's hand and looked into her eyes. "I, once again, thank you, but I find it hard to believe that these sweets are the only reason you came here." He said with a sideways glance at Yuki once again.  
  
"That bastard is only doing this because he knows it makes me mad!" Thought Yuki as he felt his heartbeat race. He grit his teeth to keep from getting angry.  
  
"And Yuki, its been a very long time since I've seen you as well." Said Akito, walking over to Yuki and putting a hand on his shoulder. At the touch a surge of fear ran down Yuki's spine. He was still afraid of Akito, of the power he still had over their lives. He looked at Toru. She was still standing there where Akito had left her, her bright eyes lighting up the otherwise dark room.  
  
"Akito, I . . ." started Yuki  
  
"You haven't come to see me in a long time. New years is only a few months away though. I hope you won't decide to stay home again, or I might have to get vary angry. You know what I mean, don't you Yuki?" Said Akito, removing his hand and turning to Toru. "I thank you for the cookies. I'm sure they will be most delicious. Also, miss Honda, considering how you have become almost a member of our family, I would like to invite you to our new years banquet this year. I hope you'll attend." Said Akito. "I'm sure I'll see you again." He walked back to his sofa by the window and took out a cookie and began to break it into small pieces. Yuki went over to Toru, grabbed her wrist, and they left the room, the house, and the gate. When they had gotten out of Sohma House Yuki breathed a sigh of relief. He hated it there. Toru was silently walking next to Yuki, looking at the ground.  
  
"Miss Honda? Is everything all right?" Asker Yuki.  
  
"He looked so pale, so lonely. I wonder if that's what he does all the time, every day. I know he's sick a lot, but staying in a house like that every day seems like what would make a person sick." Said Toru. Yuki blinked and looked at the sky. He had been rather sickly when he lived at Sohma House, just as sickly and pale as Akito, but when Toru came into his life, he got sick less and less. What a wonderful friend he had in Toru.  
  
"Miss Honda?"  
  
"Yes Yuki?"  
  
"I have been wanting to tell you something very important." Yuki said. Toru looked up at him, her giant blue eyes sparkling in the new sun as it came out from behind an empty rain cloud.  
  
"I, I love . . ." Started Yuki. Toru just looked at him innocently, tilting her head to one side. " I love the weather when It's like this. Just after a fresh rain, everything seems so alive." Said Yuki, his mind kicking him over and over.  
  
"You couldn't do it. You're still not brave enough." Thought Yuki.  
  
"Yes, it is very beautiful." Said Toru, taking Yuki's hand in her own and they walked home that way. Yuki felt reassured as he felt Toru's soft hand in his own. He didn't want the friendship they had right now to change; he wished this walk could last forever.  
  
**********  
  
"So, what did everyone think of your cookies Toru?" Asked Shigure when Yuki and Toru returned from their outing.  
  
"I think Momiji, Kisa, and Hatsuharu were very glad to have gotten them, but Hatori. He seemed to be deeply troubled today. I wish there was something we could have done to cheer him up." Said Toru as she let Yuki take her coat and hang it up. Shigure shook his head and led Toru into the living room.  
  
"I think just seeing you made him happier than he's been in a while." Said Shigure.  
  
"Oh, no I couldn't have done all that, I mean I can't be the only reason he gets happy . . ." Toru started to babble. She knew that Hatori must have left her the pressed flowers the day he and Momiji had come over, but she was still confused as to what they meant. Did Hatori love her, or was it just a friendly gesture?  
  
"Toru, what about Akito? Did you see him?" Asked Shigure. Yuki winced in the background. He still didn't like being around Akito even a little and was glad that today's experiences were over.  
  
"Yes, we saw him. He seemed to be grateful as well, but,"  
  
"But what?"  
  
"He looked to pale and sick. Does he always stay in that room all alone."  
  
"What? Well, yes. I suppose so. Toru, you have to remember, Akito is the head of the Sohma family, and as such bears the brunt of our curse. That's why he look so sickly all the time." Said Shigure.  
  
"Just what is the Sohma family curse?" Asked Toru. "I've heard so much about it, but all I've gotten so far is that you turn into animals of the zodiac. Is there more?" Asked Toru.  
  
"Eh, well. There is more, but it's really difficult to explain. Every story of every zodiac animal is tied into it, so unless you know the story of each zodiac animal to the letter you won't understand. I don't even think I'm the best one to be telling you this, but I'll tell you what, I'll let you read the little short stories I've written about the separate zodiac animals, then once you know enough about them, I'll try and explain the curse." Said Shigure.  
  
"Oh, I've been wondering for a while," Said Toru.  
  
"Yes?" Said Shigure.  
  
"Is Akito a member of the zodiac? I would think the head of a family with your kind of curse would be a part of it." Asked Toru.  
  
"No, Akito is not a member of the zodiac, but he does attend the zodiac ball at new years. He is the emperor character in the party of animals."  
  
"Oh, that reminds me!" Toru chirped. "Akito invited me to the new years ball this year. He said since I've become almost family to you that I should come." Said Toru excitedly.  
  
"Wonderful! Now you'll get to see the dance of the zodiac animal of the year. This year it's Hatori's turn. That should be interesting, eh Toru?" Said Shigure with a playful grin as he nudged Toru with his elbow. Toru blushed. Her first time at the Sohma's new years party and Hatori would be dancing. She tried to imagine Hatori in the decorative costume dancing in front of everyone. She couldn't. All she could imagine was him smiling at her, naked from the chest up.  
  
"Waaah!" Shrieked Toru as he hit herself on the head and blushed like mad. That day with Hatori had really made an impression on her. Toru felt awful. Even though she knew it was wrong, she liked the image of Hatori like that. He was so handsome and robust under that tie and lab coat.  
  
"What's wrong Toru?" Asked Shigure, putting a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"It's nothing, I guess I just find it a little hard to imagine Hatori in those decorative robes that you showed me the pictures of Momiji in from last year." She said, now blushing more than ever.  
  
"Heh, yes. But he'll do it all right. Well, here." Said Shigure handing Toru a book. "This is a collection of the stories of all the zodiac animals' history. Please read them and enjoy."  
  
"Thank you!" Said Toru with a smile.  
  
**********  
  
Toru went up to her room and flopped down on her bed.  
  
"What a day!" she thought. She looked through the book that Shigure had given her to read. She opened to the first page and began to read.  
  
"The history of the dog." She giggled to herself. It was just like Shigure to put himself first in the history books. She continued reading until it was time for her to go downstairs and start dinner.  
  
"Well mom. Today was just another day with the Sohmas. (Heh that would make a good cit-com name, Just Another day with the Sohmas, lol) I'm so glad that I'll be going to the new years banquet this year too." She said as she went down the stairs.  
  
"HEY TORU! Are you still going to make dinner" I'm starving!" Said Kyo as she passed him in the hall.  
  
"Uh huh. What would you like?" Asked Toru.  
  
"Anything but love-LEEKS!" Said Kyo, stuttering then recovering loudly when he started to think about him and Toru. He started blushing. Toru looked at him puzzled.  
  
"Did you say love, Kyo?" She asked, she tilted her head sweetly.  
  
"WAH! Hell no! Rrr!, come on, I'm not going to cook." Shouted Kyo as he grabbed her hand and they went into the kitchen. 


End file.
